Back to Barbecue Basics
Photo Credit: Daniel Hale
By Daniel Hale
A griddle is the easiest piece of cookware to use in an outdoor kitchen. There are no flames to manage, no flare-ups to dodge, no smoke to sting your eyes. Just a sleek hot flat metal surface that works wonders for cooking eggs, pancakes, delicate fish, fried rice (all foods you can’t cook on a grill), and especially for cooking next level sandwiches.
For our Back-to-Basics series, we’re focusing on the ultimate French sandwich—a bistro classic called Croque Monsieur. It looks simple and tastes fabulous—but it does require a few special techniques.
Photo Credit: Daniel Hale
Crusty bread. Smoked ham. Gruyère cheese. Creamy bechamel sauce. What’s not to love? And it’s a masterclass in temperature control and surface management. If the griddle is too hot, the bread burns before the cheese melts. If too cool, the bread soaks up grease and turns soggy.
The Gear
To do this right, I’m using the Wildfire Ranch 30” Griddle. When you’re making a sandwich like this, you need a surface that doesn’t have “hot spots” that will surprise you. The 304 stainless steel on this unit provides the kind of thermal mass that stays consistent, even when you load it up with several sandwiches at once. And once you taste it, you’ll certainly want to make Croque Monsieurs for your family and friends.
Photo Credit: Daniel Hale
The Build
Following the recipe in Steven Raichlen’s Project Griddle, I used country bread, shredded Gruyère, thinly sliced smoked ham, and a homemade Béchamel sauce. Traditionally, this would be cooked under a broiler, but Steven places the Béchamel sauce inside the sandwich as opposed to the outside on top. By doing it this way, we can cook it on the griddle. You spread some butter on the outside of both pieces of country style bread and then on the inside, you spread the Béchamel sauce, add the cheese and ham.
Managing the Heat
On the griddle you are looking for a medium heat. This means dialing back the burner to let the surface soak up the heat without becoming a furnace.
- Zone Management: I fired up only one side of the griddle to create a two-zone setup. This created a “safe zone” on the cool side—if the bread reached a perfect mahogany color before the cheese was fully melted, I could simply slide the sandwiches over to let the residual heat finish the job without scorching the crust.
- The Sizzle: I swiped a block of butter across the hot surface and placed the sandwich down, topping it with a grill dome to trap the heat. You know you’ve hit the sweet spot when you hear a gentle sizzle and catch the scent of bubbling Gruyère.
- The Flip: I cooked the sandwich for about 4 minutes per side. Flipping a loaded Croque Monsieur requires a bit of care to keep the fillings intact, but the reward is worth it.
Photo Credit: Daniel Hale
The Result
The Croque Monsieur was incredible! A deep, buttery crunch of bread, followed by the salty smoky ham. The Béchamel sauce provided a silky, dairy-rich finish with a hint of nutmeg tying it all together. The Wildfire 30” Griddle, with its consistent stainless-steel surface, proved to be the perfect tool for mastering this classic.
What is the best heat setting for a Croque Monsieur on a griddle?
You should aim for a steady medium heat. It is important to dial back the burners so the griddle surface can soak up the heat without becoming a furnace, which prevents the bread from burning before the cheese has a chance to melt.
How do I prevent the bread from burning while the cheese melts?
The best method is to set up a two-zone cook by firing up only one side of the griddle. This creates a “safe zone” on the cool side where you can slide the sandwich to let residual heat finish melting the cheese if the bread reaches a perfect mahogany color too early.
Why use a stainless steel griddle for this recipe?
A heavy 304 stainless steel surface, like the one on the Wildfire Ranch 30”, provides consistent thermal mass. This eliminates the “hot spots” that can lead to uneven cooking and ensures the temperature stays steady even when multiple sandwiches are added at once.
How does this griddle version differ from a traditional Croque Monsieur?
While a traditional version is often finished under a broiler with sauce on top, Steven Raichlen’s recipe places the Béchamel sauce inside the sandwich. This allows the sandwich to be cooked entirely on the griddle while keeping the sauce contained and the exterior perfectly crisp.